This document provides information about career services at the University of Turku, including sessions on working in Finland, CVs and applications, job interviews, and the hidden job market. It discusses the typical Finnish job recruitment process and emphasizes doing background research on organizations. Key points about CVs include having a clear structure, customizing for each job, and highlighting competencies and experience. Cover letters should motivate interest in the specific position, link skills to requirements, and offer concrete examples. The document provides advice on using the STAR model in applications and electronic versus open applications. It also announces personal CV feedback sessions and career Q&A events.

1. CV and
application
Career Services at the University of Turku
Autumn 2023

2. UTU Career Services

3. Career Services’
info sessions
→ found in the Study
Guide & event calendar
1. Working in Finland
2. How to tell about your
skills and expertise
3. The Hidden Job Market
4. CV & Application
5. How to succeed in a job
interview

4. If you want to complete the course, 1 ECTS:
1. Write your name and student number in the chat (use
private message-mode)
2. Enroll for the course in Peppi in your PSP
3. Attend all five info sessions
4. Sign into Moodle, where you can find more information:
https://moodle.utu.fi/course/view.php?id=27192
Job seeking in Finland

5. Employers identify a need for an
employee and write a possible job ad
or search from existing networks,
contacting former trainees
Typical recruiting process
Job ad is published in
various job
portals/channels
Candidates send in
applications, give a first
impression
Invitations for suitable
candidates &
conducting interview(s)
Suitable candidates’
references might be
contacted, assesment
test might be in place
( )
Decisions & contract

6. • We can’t know what the reader or recruiter appreciates, some
hints in job ad (if there is one)
• The relevance of documents is a subjective experience
• Applying for a position where you are unknown vs. applying
for a position where they know you
Who reads the documents?

7. • Website and social media of
the organisation
• what are their products,
customers, what do they tell
about themselves
• The organisation's LinkedIn
• News & blogs about the org.
• Read and analyse possible
job advertisement
• Contact recruiter if possible
• Introduction to the
organisation
• Job description
• What is specifically asked in
the job ad?
• Requirements
• Expectations
• How to apply for the job
• Style of communication in
the organisation
Do the background work

8. CV = Resume

9. Curriculum vitae
Especially in the U.S., a CV is
academic summary used for
applications for roles in
academia and scientific
research.
In Finland (and Europe), the
term CV is used to mean the
same as a “resume” in the
U.S.
Source: TEK Teekkarin työkirja

10. • Competence: Present your experience and knowledge
• Customization: Customise for each specific position/organisation
• Flawlessness: Get someone to proofread your document
• Compact: 1–2 pages, good first impression of you
• Easy to read:
• Clear and logical in structure and content
• Sections, columns, and bolding for skimmable structure
• Font size (not too small printed)
• Use keywords (esp. if first glance by software)
• Send it in pdf format and name the documents clearly
What you don’t tell, the reader/recruiter cannot know.
Essential in the CV

11. The contents of a
(non-academic) CV
Contact information:
• Name, phone & email, city
• Link to LinkedIn
• No mentions of age, marital status, children
Profile
• Focus on what you are interested in
professionally, describe your way of working,
what is important to you
Education:
• Newest first (even if not yet finished)
• Information about what you have studied
• International experience separately
Work experience:
• Newest first
• You don’t need exact dates (6–8/2015)
• Information about the jobs tasks. Remember to customise
• If you have essential experience, write more. You can
write a little less about the others. Any possible summer
jobs can be bunched together in the future.
• Be very clear about your job experiences before coming to
Finland to make sure that the employer sees the value in it
• Language & IT-skills: honest estimate – remember
Finnish!
• Positions of trust
• References maximum of 2-3 bosses, colleagues etc.
• Always customize according to the position you are
applying for
• Hobbies a nice touch to balance out working life

12. What does the reader see when looking at
a CV?
• It takes about 10 seconds to skim through a CV
• What do you want to tell about yourself? What kind of
impression does your CV give?
• You can impact what the person decides to read
→ Does the candidate have potential for the position?

13. ”The bare minimum”
Work on the structure and
typography
• Typeface
• Picture?
• Spacing
• Layout
• Listings
→Give the eyes something to focus on
→Ask a friend to read your CV for 15 seconds. What
stood out to them?

14. CV Photo
A good picture is adequately lit, friendly and approachable.
In anonymous recruitment, an image is not desired, but this
is usually mentioned separately.
• What does the image show the reader?
• Professionalism
• Positivity
• Clarity
• Mood (e.g. colors)
There are differences between countries. E.g. UK – no
photos, in Finland, it is widely used and recommended.
1. 2.
3. 4.

15. • Canva.com
• Microsoft Office CV
• Job portals may have their own models for CV information
Do you want to use CV formats?

16. Check what the CV looks
like if printed black and
white

17. There are a lot of examples and
recommendations.
Whatever you do, do it meticulously.
Photo: Pinterest

18. Questions about
CVs?

19. Application, cover or
motivation letter

20. Your CV tells what you have done -
your cover letter tells how you use
your skills and why you are
interested the position.

21. • 1 page, 3-4 paragraphs
• Motivation: Why are you applying for that position (at this
organization)?
• Competence: Own background and competence, concrete
examples (link to studies, work, hobbies)
• Characteristics (suitability): Your strengths and
achievements related to the position you are applying for
Cover letter

22. Preparation for cover letter
1. What got you interested in the position/organisation?
Why do you want to apply for this specific job/tasks?
2. Selection criteria for the job advertisement and how you match up to the job. What else
do you know about the job and the employer that is helpful in your job search? What
can you read “between the lines” of the ad? Where have you acquired the knowledge
(examples)?
3. Other questions to help you along
• What value can you bring to the employer? Look at the big picture. What are your strengths
and skills you should talk about in your application.
• What kind of an employee are you? How do you work?
4. Ending: express your wish to discuss more
5. Salary request if the employer asks for it

23. A good letter…
• shows your motivation
• highlights your skills
• links your know-how and experience with the requirements
listed in the job advertisement
• focuses on the position you are applying for
• concrete and offers examples and details of your know-how and
experience
• not just a list of adjectives

24. STAR-model
• S = Situation (what was the situation)
T = Task (What was your task)
A = Action (How did you act)
R = Result (what followed, what did you learn, what kind of feedback did
you get)
• ”I am self-iniative, responsible, and I get along with everyone."
Vs.
• “As a coordinator for organisation X, I was responsible for the external
project communication. I put together a network of key stakeholders, for
which I compiled a regular newsletter and organized network meetings. At
work, I developed my multi-lingual communication and organisational skills
and received praise for my initiative and responsibility."

25. Examples of telling about your skills
• "I have studied education and social politics." OR "I want to be
involved in reducing inequality in society and that is why in education
I have been interested in the role of education in inequality and in
social policy influencing society through income transfers."
• "My duties included customer service and cleaning." OR "I served
customers in a friendly and firm manner. At the same time, I found
the store neat and inviting."
• "I did my thesis on Amazonian undergrowth." OR "I want to promote
biodiversity in your project. I would like to present a few development
ideas that arose while doing my thesis on the vegetation of the
rainforest."

26. Recap
• Raise interest → the start is important, what is your motivation?
• Customise → Employer's point of view, linking your own writing to
the requirements, showing your personality, what is important?,
suitable language and visuals
• Concise → One short page is enough, choose the most important
points, get straight to the point, avoid repetition (e.g. CV-like listing).
Even a short application can be very effective
• Clarity → Build a coherent whole, check typos, use clear language
and examples, avoid clichés and abstract expressions. Proofread!
The goal is always to get an interview!

27. Electronic applications
• Typically fillable text fields
• You should first look at everything they are looking for so that you can better plan your
answers
• Fill in all the fields (even if it’s duplicate)
• Write the text for each employer and position, ie. tailor what you have to say to suit the
position
• Important: Use keywords (find hints in the possible job ad)
• CV attached if requested; remember to keep your CV up to date

28. Open applications
Idea
• What kind of work are you interested in?
• How could you respond to an employer’s need?
• Concrete examples of your future work assignments
Motivation
• Why exactly this employer and these tasks?
• What motivates you?
• Plans for the future
Reasoning
• Your knowledge and skills relevant to the task
• Link your skills to the job you are applying for
• How can you apply your education and work experience

29. Questions about
cover letters?

30. Personal CV feedback
• The CV feedback appointment is 20 minutes, during which you can
go through either your CV, cover letter, or Linkedin profile with a
career counsellor.
• CV feedback are held remotely at Teams or Zoom.
a) Log in to JobTeaser at utu.jobteaser.com. Go to the Appointments
section at the top and select CV Clinic as the appointment type. When
booking, attach your CV, job application or link to your LinkedIn profile.
OR
b) Send the file in pdf format to rekry@utu.fi
• You will receive an appointment link in the e-mail before the CV
clinic. NOTE: Be sure to make an appointment / send the file by 12
noon the day before the CV clinic. After this time, it is not possible to
book.

31. Career Q&A
Get to discuss and ask your questions regarding job
seeking and working in Finland in our on-site
Career Q&A sessions in November!
The sessions are loosely bound to the following
themes:
• 15 Nov at 14.00-16
Work life culture in Finland
• 22 Nov at 14.00-16
Job seeking and networking
• 29 Nov at 14.00-16
What employers look for
The sessions are held on campus (Calonia) by the
Career Services.
Register: Career Q&A | University of Turku (utu.fi)